Wales's last international against Fiji, back in 1995, was the first rugby union international played in Cardiff in the professional era, but the abandonment of amateurism has left both teams trailing in the slipstream of the more affluent and powerful.
The Welsh Rugby Union's financial travails are well chronicled. And the Fijians were only able to fly out for this month's tour of Wales, Ireland and Scotland because the three unions involved agreed to share the costs with the International Rugby Board.
A victory today will yield the Wales players a win bonus of £1,000 whereas last season those of them with 40 caps or more would have banked seven times that. It is the age of austerity in Wales, though a four-figure bonus is beyond the dreams of the Fijians.
"We play for nothing," said the Fiji second-row and New port captain Simon Raiwalui. "When we go back to Fiji for a game we pay our own air fares and when I read last year that Neil Jenkins earned £10,000 every time he was part of a winning Wales team, I calculated that was more than the entire Fiji squad would have got in expenses for going unbeaten on tour."
Raiwalui is one of two Wales-based players in the Fiji team, along with the Neath back-rower Alfie Mocelutu. Whereas Raiwalui talks of Fijian flair, his colleague relishes the odd flare-up. "I know our game is based on throwing the ball around but I'm not into all that," he said. "I love thumping into opponents, which is why I came to Wales."
Wales warmed up with but took 45 minutes to break down an obdurate defence. They will have more pace in the back row today but less in the front row, where they have gone for scrummaging power to counter the threat of the 23-stone Fiji prop Bill Cavubati. The only change in the back division sees Stephen Jones taking over from Jenkins at outside-half.
The Wales coach Steve Hansen wants to incorporate a more fluid style, which is why he has ordered the Millennium Stadium's retractable roof to remain shut this week. Even though Wales have spent the week talking up opponents who lost 68-18 to New Zealand five months ago, the margin of victory today should be greater than the four points of seven years ago.
Wales: R Williams (Cardiff); M Jones (Llanelli), Shanklin (Saracens), Parker (Pontypridd), G Thomas (Bridgend); S Jones (Llanelli), Peel (Llanelli); I Thomas (Llanelli), M Davies (Pontypridd), B Evans (Swansea), Sidoli (Pontypridd), Llewellyn (Neath), D Jones (Llanelli), M Williams (Cardiff), Charvis (Swansea, capt). Replacements: Lewis (Cardiff), Madden (Llanelli), S Williams (Northampton), Parks (Pontypridd), Powell (Cardiff), Harris (Cardiff), Robinson (Cardiff).
Fiji: Narruhn; Ligairi, Raebni or Ruivadra, Bai, Lasagavibau; Little, Rauluni; Nyholt, Smith (capt), Cavubati, Naevo, Raiwalui, Tawake, Doviverata, Mocelutu. Replacements: Gadolo, Biu, Rasila, Koyamaibole, Rabaka, Mow, Serevi.
